Vehicle wheel



Ju ne 16, 1925.

J. H. SPARKS VEHICLE WHEEL 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 17, 1925 June 16, 1925 1,541,867

J. H. SPARKS VEHI CLE WHEEL June 16, 1925 1,541,867

J. H. SPARKS VEHI OLE WHEEL Filed Jan. .17, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 U i? :[HSpar/tg June 16, 1925.

J. H. SPARKS VEHI CLE WHEEL Filed Jan. 17, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet A June 16, 1925 J. H. SPARKS VEHI (SUI WHEEL 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan lune l6 1925 J. Hv SPARKS VEHICLE WHEEL Filed Jan. 1'7, 3.925 6 Sheets-Shani lalented Juzzc 15% F 25,

mum STAEES PATENT ormc firplisiiiian filrd Jmumry 171 1925.

"ifi'lzvu mi" llii .il i'ririlltw, in 152 f lm. Iii Xvw JHH' 7 WW and mul'ul in: il'lmfilv; mm! l l inning in? film uilimtw slqil (l in iaim: in make- "5 inwniim: aimed (n .llQ ran-zit rn wr H is 2 1% 1112mm this blzrunriei' in m.- lmlil firmly will mud ls: e braking and on; m. dimneter :rssrv beus (1116) the force and. further re driwn slowiiion of H ll Inn y l 0 provide a (iniifiiriir'? tizm wherein 't w: vehicle nmy be snppo'tml rusilimrtly {rm nmziris complcicly wiriiin the wheel, films enabling tile velliclc tn (Ei; pun ewitla the present bnls-cr spriigs' 0r use them optionally. fulditianal GlJjQriJS f bra-(mm apparel v Er in; x p

Willi 03m live (mind id drawing: l irgure i irs r v elcmtinn Figure 2 is H partial Yiflw m the opposite Sid i'hvm rl During 53m lcm'cr {mriiun of film iav'ul;

Figure a upprr pm'fiifi'n of lit wlmral;

iii iron;

illustrating the engagement between 2hr fire and KQllfllr'i;

\MFFITVIIJA]. NEW JERSEY.

X i W c rnrnr-riu 2 r Fig'lirr- T 1:4 H rivw slz-uwinvf lllf} r512. in wnmw-inm with pncuznnlm time app vi (lit-H10 Figure H :1 h -mil wrtinuai View drawing n solid tin uppliml to 5,320 veisivle he i run;

figure. f! is; \liiilll view {if 2: siaiimmry lllll pizzie;

l 'ig uu H is a (14%;; l View 0% the axle;

l iguru ll lf-' a deta l side Vim (if a. Eng hub plan;

Figure l2 25 r limb plaii: slruwn m i 1m; 15'; the

' nal vlaw or;

of 01 10 0f the I mg; iil'lfii humans-.11? slmwn and aim rigidlv w-riirzzl hub pluleh' at l is; li'all) plates; 16 many 0 lll2%(() l! ati lmir uppvr (tEiilS ml 2251011115 in plans ls}; {he :uljacent bolts Briefly, in: spolws \flui'ry rollers i9, 50 ywiplmrivs are in (mutual; with this imwr mn'l ru-n it? :2. rigg iil mciallir: rim or rim whirl; :ulsxpiml w zuvulx'fi with respect in film frame 56L Tire :unsiruciiun of said Mills". and :asswrimml parks will be lure-r .wy 'zl0s'."ri:.1e(l.

Z NFQYZLl lY substantially this and h: s disks or plates as oi any Wimblesize and shape 4lemlily applied to the frame 10, for inw: by means 0? bolt; and nuts as at 522 i .n :ppmprinw lOJHtlUHS. (Jar-lain of said lmlis 22 at (:H'li sulu of the wlwvl mount remm'nlfi', rigriifyiug plates ,or stays at 23.

lrivvn or rumtablc axle arm Hub plaws .shapui and have doveiailcd Webs 3 which are E; slightly rmare vertically slidable in curved tracks 2 of the stationary plates 16 and which conform in shapethereto.

Located within the wheel adiacent the base thereof is a. suitable ellipticspring 29, preferably being of the laminated type as shown. This spring is preferably supported from below by a bracket or plate 30, re-

norably mounted on the lower ends "of the cites by means of hubs as at 31. A clip bolt 32 passes through the leaves of the lower half of spring 29 and is fastened in by a nut 33. bald bolt 32 also passes through an opening in the bracket 30. Bolt ha an enlarged portionorpost 34 above the lower section of the spring 29 and resting thereon. The post 34 serves to center inverted conical expansive coil spring 35 which is seated against a retainer 36 at its top and which retainer engages the under surface of the upper sections of the spring 29. A. suitable bracket or clip 37 passes reinovahly tl'irough the movable plates 26 and has bolt studs 38 which straddle the .upper section spring 29 and pass through the plate or retainer 36 and secure it in place. i has a square portion centrallyof L EXlC the sides of the wheel and thereon a pinion or gear wheel 39 is keyed or otherwise fastens-d. Said gear wheel meshes with the adjacent gear or pinion of a train of gears or pinions 40, arranged horizontally as shown, the outermost gear 46 in turn meshing with an annular rack 41 of less width than the rim 20 and provided on the inner surface il *reol' centrally of the of the wheel. The pinions have axles 42 on which the pinions are iournalcd and which axles are rrmova ly fastened in bearing arms 43 pas.- throng the adiacent stationary hub H at an enlarged slot 44 thereof, are U mounted one end on the axle 2 at their other ends are connected 2y K- 3.11m. shr wd l' arings or struts 45 secured to the spoiler; 13. Strut 46 may brace the lowermost spoke 13 from the adjacent spoke 111.

Each of the spokes at its outer end has a. bcari g 47 in wnich a pin or axle 48 is removaly journaled and on which pins, the rollers 19 aforesaid are journaled. Said rollers 19 are of double construction inasmuch as theyhave spaced disks 49' so that they may straddle the teeth of the rack 41 and engage the rack 41 on its smooth inner surfaces on opposite sides of said teeth of rack 41. The pins 48 extend through the protective side plates or disks 21 of the wheel and arcsccured thereto by the threaded nuts 48*. i

In order that the rollers and rim may properly fit. certain or all of the spokes may be adjustable or extensible. To this end such spokes may have oppositely screw threaded portions 50and 51 at the different sections thereof engaged by a nut 52 having v in mesh.

1,54 ass? as at 53 and the spokes 14 may also be braced by a bar at 54.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the axle 24 as it moves vertically,tal;os the path of an are from the outermost pin or shaft 42 as a center, to the end that all of the pinions and rack 41 will at all times be To accomplish this result, the tits 28 are arcuate as shown and the webs 27 of corresponding shape. In effect, the bearing arms 43 work as levers with the 24, and with such parts carrying the pinions.

It will be understood that all of the shafts tra .or pins described areof any approved construction and may be equipped in any suit" able way with oil cups or arranged for lubrication' and for instance by the means 50 as revionsly described. 2

As s own in Figure ?,.the rim 20 may be equipped with a suitable pneumatic tire as at 70, the edges of the rim 20 preferably being curved at the sides as at '71 so that it will be of the usual channel form. The inflation stem 72 of the pneumatic tube of said tire may be specially arranged. as shown so as to extend through the rim adjacent one side thereof.

Instead of a pneumatic tire, a solid tire of rubber or the like as suggested in Figure.

8 may be applied to the rim 20, such rim having at its sides. retaining'flanges for such tire which is designated 81.

In use, the tire is primarily adapted for" use a the rear end of a vehicle, one being provided on each side thereof although no limitation as to the use isto be incurred. The axle 24 being driven in turn drives the pinions 39 and 40 and rack 41, causing the a rim to turn with respect to the remainder of the wheel and thus have tractive action with the highway or surface being traveled. Any obstructions encountered will cause relative movement of the wheel and the axle, which movement will be cushioned by the springs 29 and-35, since the movable plates 25 will slide up and down or the wheel will slidewith respect to them. Incidental to this sliding movement. the bearing arms 43 swing from the axis of the outermost shaft '42, thus always keeping the pinions in -fall within the spirit and scope of the inyrntion.

I c aim my invention: I

1. A wheel of the, class described having a body, an axle extending into the body, a rim movable relatively to the body, means cg'ieraijiic by said axis mete said rim, means in prrmii yicci imri v iii :1 limlyn H52 axle xtenrlmy llili drive will rim from said axle,

l. A \s'iicel of the ciasvs den Y limlv, a lZiOYfiiflE hub plat-=4: on 21m body,

an axle nimzibie with sail"v iii pirate and.

l'fillllllifli} with "pact to th means to guide nimmiieir if sniil I HHHElllfi i on from n iH'NlY, a men an axle mini rclalnlilc a means to g'ni le HIUYQUL, 1 f said hub ime, a rim memiile eil eni. SRiii occly, hearing arm engaging Sui} axle a pivot to the bmly. and :1 train of gearing en sai xle, arm and piviit operable in rotate sni. rim.

ii A wliecl cf the class described having 1: lseii a movable lini) plate on said body, an axle nicvzilile will! said lmu plate and rnlnlnliie with respect to ine same, means in gnirlc mm'einent. 0f saiii lmii plate, a rim movable zil mit said body, a bearing arm engaging said axle and pivoted in the bedy, um! :1 min of gearing on said axle, arm and pivot operable to relate said rim, and Stalicnziry liui; plates engaged ilic first mcniienell lml; plate to cause the same to follow mi arr-irate course.

7. A wiioci cf iiie ciz'i; wr liei'i having 5, limiy, an axle extcinii 5; inte {lie body and llliHillF-lr away from tin: in: ll'iereof, reriiicnt niczins i0 eusiiicn iiic nwvement of ilki mi 1 2! rim on said beaiy, :nnl means to mime :miil rim will respect in in} body from said axle.

P wheel 0%? inc class; (inscribed baring 2L iii-lily. :i rim un said body, an axle extcnrlin; inle the bully, means in rotate the rim fl'fllil will. mile, a hub plate emzagerl by said axle, and spring means cusliicni' g the movement of said limb plate.

9. A wheel cf the class described having :I burly, 21 rim 011 said body, an exit exlcniL 111;: in": the body, means to relate the rim from will axle, a hub piate engaged by said axis, and spring ,megingcushicning ilie moveiing mtimi mil clumping ,7 innsliiiimi'. R retainer nienmg nprin and a clip mnlilli piiie i1 ltiliiKY.

i of ihe Mimi inning :1 rim in ii lice-vie, 2m

cans in ririrc (lei:

lU-{HIZQ spring iii? limly, ii i spring, and pulling bracket 'iiimi liming ivciy therein, an m 3518 in (il'i m e winning s iiring i in line licriy, a f;ilj)1)0l;i7l bracket for said wring, and means? nieuniirz sz'iiii snpps' rting l'n'ackct with the silica a, belt Minn acting); the lower miriien cf Mi i signing f bracket, sairl belt ring ,2; iiiei'iing spring; in

" the lirsi menail, pest.

described having a lien movable relmeans to drive i rune, mid axle being nimnlilc HiZLJ/fi i0 i,i!(3 axis 0f the body, igiring means in cnsliien the movement of al'rlil exir, and a. bracket carried by certain ml Slild hifllis f'rz and, mounting said spring means.

.13, A AliOO-i cf rile class described having :QPUlLOS, 1 rim movable with respect t0 the spulwi, means of engagement between the rim and spokes, stationary hub plates, means to secure said hub plates and Spokes l (71f8l;l1(X',-2L movable llill) plate associated with the first mentioned hub plates, an axle engaging said movable liub plate, cushioning menus for said movable linb plate, and means driven by said axle to zncve said rim.

14. A wheel of the class described having sgmkes, :1 rim movable with respect to the snakes, iilifliLflS of engagement between the rim anil speiics, stiiiienary hub plates, means in secure ssiiil lllil) plates and spokes together, a li'ilI-YfliJlC lme pinic associated 15. A wheel cf the a 83 described having EL bw v, a. rim inm'zil le with respect $0 the boil lnwing ra k 'ieei li, means en the belly cngngeable with said rack teeth to drive 13 l 1" 1 i. d mm Inn KQLALMQ y c l and, r0 ers en said body Stliidfilllflg SR-Kl teeth and engaging the rim on opposite sides of said teeth.

16. A wheel of the class described having a body, a rim movable with respect to the body having rack teeth, means on the body engageable with said rack teeth to drive said rim relatively to the body, and roilers on said body straddling said teeth and en gaging the rim on opposite sides of said teeth, spokes carrying said rollers, pins on which said rollers are journaled, and covering disks for the body secured in place by said pins.

17. A wheel of the class described having.

a body, a rim movable relatively to the body, means to move said rim relatively to the body, means of engagement between the body and said rim, and the last mentioned means being adjustable to insure operative engagement of the parts.

In testimony whereof I allix my sigma ture in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN HENRY SPARKS. Witnesses:

WM. L. M KEEVER, ALBERT G. PERKINS. 

